Numerous panel systems have been developed for use in dividing large open office areas into smaller work spaces or workstations, which panel arrangements typically employ upright space-dividing panels which are serially joined together to define smaller workstations of desired size and configuration. In the known arrangements, the individual panel assemblies have many different constructional features. For example, in some arrangements the individual panels are provided with individual support feet or glides which support the weight of the panel on the floor, and adjacent panels are then joined together through intermediate connectors, such as flexible hinges or connector plates, which connectors are not intended to be disposed in load-bearing relationship with the floor. In other arrangements, the adjacent panel assemblies are interconnected through intermediate upright support posts or poles, with the weight of the panels being transferred to the poles, which poles in turn are maintained in load-bearing engagement with the floor. Both types of arrangements are in common usage, and the present invention is concerned with improvements in panel arrangements of the latter-mentioned type.
More specifically, in many of the post-type panel arrangements, the intermediate post comprises an upright support tube, often of cylindrical configuration, which tube is provided with appropriate support flanges or grooves which engage cooperating parts on the adjacent panels for providing operative structural and supportive connection of the panels to the support posts. These cooperating support flanges and grooves are typically provided only adjacent the upper and lower ends of the support tube, and this hence restricts or complicates the flexibility of the system, particularly when adjacent panels are of different heights. In addition, in many of these systems the support post is a structural element which is of significant size, and in some cases the post is dimensioned so that it substantially corresponds in width to the width of the adjacent panel assemblies, and hence the post itself is a visible member and thus must be designed to blend in with the visible side surfaces of the wall system. This, however, restricts the aesthetics of the system. Further, many of these known systems have provided a connecting arrangement between the panel assembly and post which can be difficult to assemble, or which does not facilitate and/or adapt to use of a common post at all types of connections, such as not only at a conventional in-line two-panel connection, but also at a two-panel corner connection, a three-panel connection, a four-panel connection, and a free end panel support.
Many of the known panel arrangements of this general type have also involved expensive and complex manufacturing techniques, and hence have resulted in the panel arrangement being of greater expense than desired.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved space-dividing wall arrangement, specifically a wall arrangement of the type wherein panel assemblies at opposite vertical ends are joined to and supported on load-supporting postlike connecting elements, which arrangement is desirable in that it is economical to manufacture, and permits the postlike connectors to be disposed substantially wholly internally between connected aligned panels so as to provide highly improved wall system aesthetics.
In the improved space-dividing upright wall system of the present invention, the wall panel assemblies are adapted to be supported on and connected through upright panel connecting members, the latter having a foot structure disposed for load-bearing engagement with a support surface such as a floor. The upright panel connecting member is preferably of a generally Z-shaped cross section including generally parallel side legs joined by a generally diagonally-extending cross wall. Each of the side legs has an upright row of slots therethrough which accommodate hangers associated with components which mount on the wall system. The slots in the two sidewalls are effectively isolated from one another to minimize noise transmission due to the diagonally-extending cross wall. Each side leg has vertically-extending rows of hooks projecting outwardly from opposite side edges thereof, which hooks cooperate with a pair of generally aligned panel assemblies for rigidly joining the panel assemblies to the panel connecting member. The panel connecting member also preferably mounts thereon a manually-actuated panel lock which cooperates with the panel assemblies, when the latter are engaged with the hooks of the connecting member, to prevent separation of the panel assemblies from the connecting member. The connecting member is sized and configured so as to be accommodated within channel-like recesses formed in the opposed vertical end edges of aligned panel assemblies so as to be effectively positioned interiorly between the aligned adjacent panel assemblies, with only the row of slots opening outwardly through adjacent panel assembly ends so as to be accessible for engagement with the component hangers.
In the preferred embodiment of the wall system, as aforesaid, a panel connecting member is provided at both vertical end edges of each panel assembly, and a single said connecting member provides for direct connection between two adjacent aligned panel assemblies. However, when two adjacent panel assemblies are disposed in generally perpendicular relationship to one another, then the adjacent end edges are each provided with a panel connecting member secured thereto, and the adjacent pair of connecting members in turn are directly joined together through an intermediate corner connector member which engages the row of hooks on the connecting member which is not engaged with the panel assembly. This same arrangement can be utilized to create not only a two-panel right angle corner, but can be duplicated to create either a three-panel connection or a four-panel connection when the angle between adjacent panels is always about 90.degree.. The same connecting member is also provided for supporting the vertical edge of a panel assembly when such edge defines the free end of a wall system, and a suitable end cap is positioned for engaging the exposed hooks of the connecting member for closing off the end of the wall system.
Further, in the preferred embodiment of the improved wall system, as aforesaid, the panel connecting member mounts thereon a support flange adapted to engage and cooperate with similar support flanges formed on the corner connector member, with the latter support flange being clamped against the support flange on the connecting member by an adjustable clamping flange provided on the corner connector member. This ensures that the panel assemblies are properly elevationally aligned with one another through the intermediate corner connector member.
The present invention also relates to an improved construction for the panel as associated with the aforementioned wall system. The wall panel includes a rectangular ringlike frame defined by rigidly joined horizontal and vertical frame rails, each being of an outwardly opening channel-shaped cross section. These frame rails have outer edge flanges for defining shallow ringlike rims which extends surround both sides of the frame. A sheet of rigid but acoustical fiberboard is secured, as by an adhesive, to each side of the frame with the fiberboard sheet being confined within the surrounding rim. A fiberglass sheet overlies the exterior surface of the fiberboard sheet, and a thin fabric sheet is stretched over the fiberglass layer and has the edges thereof wrapped around the rim and secured to the frame rails. This laminated construction of the panel, and specifically the use of the fiberboard sheet and the overlying fiberglass layer, provide desirable acoustical properties in that such arrangement provides a reasonably high noise reduction coefficient (NRC), such as in the magnitude of 0.65. At the same time this construction enables the panel sidewall to effectively function as a tack board. This panel construction is also reasonably economical to manufacture, and is of reasonably light weight.
The improved wall panel of the invention, as aforesaid, also greatly facilitates the retrofitting of electrical and/or communication ports on the side of the panel, such as at or adjacent worksurface height, after the wall assembly has been fully assembled, with such retrofitting being carried out with minimal time and effort. The opposed side rails of the panel are each provided with one or more preformed sets of openings formed horizontally therethrough for communication with the interior of the panel frame, with each opening set including a large opening for accommodating electrical and/or communication cables, and one or more smaller openings for receiving a fastener. The construction of the panel enables a template to be positioned over the side surface of the panel adjacent a selected edge thereof, after the wall system has been assembled and a desired location for the porting has been determined. Thereafter the fabric is cut at a location as controlled by the template, and then the underlying fiberglass and fiberboard are also cut and portions removed to create an opening sized according to the template and according to the desired cable box which is thereafter inserted into the opening. This box also has a set of openings in a sidewall thereof which generally align with an opening set in the adjacent frame rail. Suitable fasteners such as screws are inserted from interiorly of the box through the sidewall for engagement with the side rail. Suitable cables can then be extended vertically along the channel of the adjacent side rail and fed through the openings for communication with the interior of the box. A cover is secured to the box so as to be substantially flush with the exterior panel fabric, and the cover is provided with suitable porting (such as a telephone jack, an electrical receptacle, or the like) thereon which couples to the appropriate cabling in the box. All of the above described installation is accomplished while the wall panel is assembled into the wall system, and requires only a conventional utility knife for cutting and forming the box-receiving opening.